Process for hardening copper



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DEWITT T. BECKHAM, 0F GENEVA, TEXAS.

PROCESS FOR HARDENING COPPER.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DEwn'r T. BECKHAM; a eitizen of the United States, residing at Geneva, in the county of Sabine and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Hardening Copper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in metal and it is the principal object of the invention to provide a novel and simple process for hardening copper embracing steps whereby a bending or scaling of a body of such metal subsequent to the hardening of the same by the improved pmcess will be positively prevented.

In order that the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I have in the detailed following description based thereon setforth a preferred embodiment of the invention.

To harden copper in accordance with my novel process, I first heat the same to a certain temperature, either to red glow .at a temperature of 1370 degrees Fahrenheit or to incandescence at a temperature of 1950 degrees Fahrenheit. Immediately subsequent' to the heating of the metal to the desired temperature it is subjected to material pressure, such as by hammering or like operations until the metal body is cold. The

- the appearance of flakes on the hammered surfaces of the metal will be prevented. As

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Application filed March 13, 1919. Serial No. 282,373.

will be understood, some difficulty has heretofore been experienced when methods or processes for hardening copper have been introduced embracing the hammering of metal as one of the steps thereof. However, by heating the metal previous to the hammering of the same for tempering and for opening the pores of the body, I entirely ox'ercome this difficulty.

I have found from actual experiments that the heating of the metal in addition to causing expansion and the result-ant opening of the pores of a metal body will also impart a certain amount of pliability to the same and in consequence successfully withstand'the impacts thereon by reason of the hammering and prevent scaling or flaking. I have also ascertained through actual experiments that by heating the metal body to be hardened to a red glow and then hammering it, it will become sulficiently hard for various purposes. However, by heating the metal body to an incandescence and then hammering the same, the metal becomes very hard and brittle and cannot. be bent without fracturing the same.

I claim:

1. The herein described process of hardening copper consisting of heating the same to a high temperature and then hammering it until cold.

2. The herein described process of hardeningl copper consisting of heating the same to a igh temperature and then subjecting it to continual pressure until cold.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature hereto.

IDEWITT T. BECKHAM. 

